A.N.

Hooray! New story! This is an idea that came to me one day in English class as the teacher explained to us how the usual, stereotypical plots of medieval-fantasy-type stories worked .I blanked most of it out after I heard the word dragon (I'm so gonna fail that test )

The idea, basically, is that Naruto knocks Jiraiya out while training for the chuunin exams. While looking through the old pervert's stuff, he finds a small scroll that has the dragon summoning contract inside it, among other things. After he signs it he summons the dragon boss and after the summon test, she grants him the right to summon her people, as well as a dragon-based kekkei-genkai. He uses these abilities to his advantage throughout the rest of the story.

›P.S.-I absolutely refuse to make Naruto all-powerful, so don't ask. I have been taught by my idol that to do that will do nothing but make the story unbearably boring (Here's lookin' at you Freedom Guard). So don't expect there to be no challenges for our favorite knucklehead.‹

Anywho, on with the fic, and Read and Review.

"Get up."= person talking

`Stupid Ero-sennin.'= person thinking

"I am free as flight."= Summon/Dragonoid form speaking

`This is freedom.'= Summon/Dragonoid form thinking

"You have much to learn."= Nature Spirit speaking

`Poor kid.'= Nature Spirit thinking

Free as Flight Chapter 1-The New Champion

In a clearing by a stream, a large man with strange clothes and long, white hair crouches next to a line of bushes, giggling perversely as he peeks through them. Suddenly, a medium-sized rock soars through the air and nails him in the back of the head accompanied by an angry teenager with sunshine-blonde hair in an orange jumpsuit that screams HERE I AM! KILL ME, shouting at him.

"Dammit old man! Stop perving and teach me!" the blonde screams.

Noticing the lack of response from the old man, the boy, known as Naruto, walks over to him cautiously and starts kicking him in the ribs repeatedly.

"Ero-sennin?" he asks, still kicking the poor man, "don't tell me that knocked you out."

After several minutes of kicking Jiraiya, the boy loses his patience, winding up for a much larger kick then before.

"Dammit, wake up!" he shouts, kicking hard enough to lift the old man several feet into the air, scrolls falling out of his pockets. As he lands, Naruto puts his hands in his pockets and begins to turn away from the man, frustrated, "Man, forget this, I'm gonna go home."

As he's turning, a small scroll catches his attention. Bending down, he notes that it looks older than the Hokage's Forbidden Scroll, though it's only an eighth the size. As he picks it up, he is surprised by how warm it feels in his hands. Turning it over to examine it fully, he notices that while there is no apparent way to open it, there is an embossed sigil depicting a silver European dragon in mid-flight on the other side. Rubbing his thumb along the sigil, he reflects on how free it appears, imagining what it would feel like to be as free as flight. Unknown to him, the creature in the sigil had been monitoring his thoughts and reading his memories since the moment he had picked the scroll up.

`How is this boy still so strong?' the spirit wonders, `even after all the hatred and mistreatment he's experienced, even with a terrible monster inside him, he still wants to help people.' Hearing the boy's most recent thoughts, the spirit comes to a decision. `So he wants freedom and friendship above all else does he?' it thinks, `Hmm, maybe he'll be the one they choose.' At this, the spirit releases the energy that keeps the scroll sealed.

As he is lost in his skyward thoughts, Naruto jumps when the sigil suddenly pops loose, pulling the scroll open with it. Getting past his surprise, he turns to check on Jiraiya before a voice from the scroll stops him.

"Calm yourself, child. Even if he were currently conscious, no one can take this scroll away from you anymore."

"Who are you," Naruto asks.

"I have no name," the voice says, "Just know that you are the first person in over seventy-five years to pass the first test of the dragon scroll. Now, open it and follow the instructions, we will talk again later."

Deciding to trust the voice, Naruto opens the scroll. Inside are three seal arrays and instructions on how to open them. Following the instructions, Naruto bites his thumb and wipes chakra-infused blood on the seals, one-by-one. And one-by-one, another small scroll, a large scroll, and a thick, leather-bound tome appear in clouds of smoke.

Opening the small scroll, Naruto sees a message. It reads:

To the possessor of this scroll,

For you to read this means that you have passed the trial of emotion.

Congratulations, you have potential.

The large scroll is the summon scroll of dragons, if you choose to sign,

it, in blood, you will undergo a test of heart. If you pass, you will be granted,

not only the right to summon the dragon clan in battle, but you will also be

gifted with the ability to manifest the physical features of one. This

ability will be passed on to any descendants you may have along with

the scroll. The signs to use the summoning jutsu will be shown at the end

of this note.

Regardless of what happens, always remember, whether one runs, swims,

or crawls, you can always choose to be… "Free as Flight."

As he finishes reading, Naruto reaches for the summoning scroll. Opening it, he bites his thumb, and signs his name in his own life-blood. As soon as he finishes, the scroll snaps shut of its own accord and shrinks, growing a black leather strap so it fits diagonally across his back. Referring back to the small scroll for guidance, he quickly pops a soldier pill before beginning the hand signs for the summoning jutsu. Finishing, he bites his healed thumb and slams the palm on the ground. After an enormous explosion of smoke, a huge silver dragon suddenly appears, reaching nearly eighty feet long from head to tail.

For the next few moments, the dragon looks around in confusion, as though surprised that it has actually been summoned. Getting over his shock, it cranes its long neck around to look for its summoner, and sees Naruto panting on its back. Drawing its head closer to the boy, it speaks in a surprisingly feminine voice.

"Did you summon me Drakling?" she asks softly. While thinking to herself, `this child is severely malnourished. He will need a proper diet before we even begin training.' Looking him over again, she adds, `and a new outfit. This is too much orange.'

Catching his breath, Naruto stands up straight, and speaks. "Yes. I did."

"That's good," she responds, "My name is Mercury, I am the leader of the dragon clan. If you pass the test of heart, I will look forward to working with you."

"Now, take your time to answer my questions, knowing that I will know if you lie to me. What is your current dream?"

Thinking, Naruto answers, "My dream is to become strong, and to be free from the hatred directed toward me."

Nodding at this answer, Mercury continues, "Why do you wish to be strong?"

Thinking back to a lost friend, Naruto uses the words Haku taught him, "To protect those precious to me."

Smiling at this answer, Mercury gets a mischievous grin. "Last question," she says before shrinking and taking the form of a very beautiful woman, "How do I look?"

Taking in her appearance, Naruto has to hold his nose to avoid dying of blood-loss. A thin, silver-and-gold circlet with a small, glowing diamond in the center is hidden on the sides by bobbed, silver hair which frames a regal face. Golden eyes glowing above shining white teeth are filled with mischief and compassion. A scar on the left cheek mars her snow-white skin, but does nothing but add to the beauty. An elegant, silver gauntlet-clad hand supports one side of this picturesque vision, leading into well-proportioned, muscularly-slender arms which are covered similarly from the elbow up. Following this image down slightly, thin, silver plates of armor are shaped in a way that accentuates a well-defined figure. A modest, but noticeable, bust shrinks into a thin waist before growing into well developed hips covered in a black skirt with several of the same plates attached to it. Long, powerful legs lead to small feet covered by knee-high boots made out of yet more of the silver armor riveted onto thick leather. Taken all together, the image proves to be too much for our poor hero, he loses the battle with his hormones and faints, falling on his back with a small trickle of blood flowing from his nose.

Watching this with amusement evident on her face, the still-human Mercury pumps her gloved fist in the air before saying victoriously, "I still got it!"

A.N.

This is a simple beginning, but I think I did ok. If you're wondering why I described Mercury's human form in such detail, it's because I'm thinking of making her one of the girls in Naruto's harem.

› P.S.-I've noticed that of the few people who have read my stories, even fewer have actually reviewed them. I'm not a robot people, I need encouragement, just like the next guy. I will only write 2-3 chapters without reviews, this is my final word on that fact.‹

So again, Read and Review